The world of boxing has never been short on spectacle, but the announcement of Jake Paul versus Anthony Joshua for December 19, 2025, at Miami’s Kaseya Center has sent shockwaves through both the sporting and entertainment realms. This eight-round heavyweight bout, scheduled to be broadcast live globally on Netflix at 8 p.m. ET, represents a seismic leap for Paul and a headline-grabbing payday for Joshua. The fight, dubbed “Judgment Day” by Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), is already being hailed as one of the most talked-about events of the year, if not the decade.
Jake Paul, the 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, has made a career out of defying expectations and ruffling the feathers of boxing purists. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing in around 200 pounds as a cruiserweight, Paul boasts a professional record of 12 wins and 1 loss, with 7 knockouts. His previous opponents have included a mix of MMA fighters crossing into boxing and aging legends like Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. But this time, Paul is stepping into the ring with a bona fide heavyweight icon.
Anthony Joshua, at 36, is no longer the fresh-faced Olympic gold medalist who burst onto the scene in 2012, but he remains a towering figure in the sport. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Brit is a former two-time unified heavyweight champion with a record of 28-4 and 25 knockouts. Despite coming off a brutal knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 at Wembley Stadium—a fight that saw Joshua dropped four times before succumbing in the fifth round—he’s still regarded as one of the world’s top heavyweights. After elbow surgery and initial plans for a 2025 return, Joshua’s decision to face Paul before year’s end surprised many, especially given the magnitude of what’s at stake.
Financially, the fight is a blockbuster. Reports suggest Joshua stands to earn £36.9 million (about $50 million), a figure that even seasoned boxing observers find staggering. As boxing expert Steve Bunce told BBC Radio 5 Live, “AJ has been made an offer he simply couldn’t refuse and he’s accepted. I would not deny a single man or woman that boxes professionally a pound note, penny, a cent, a dime, the money for any fight.” Bunce also acknowledged the entertainment factor, noting, “It’s entertainment for everyone, a massive stage for them both, but I don’t agree with it and the whole boxing world won’t agree with it.”
The matchup itself is striking for its contrasts—and its risks. Joshua, who must weigh in at under 245 pounds for this bout (after exceeding 250 in his last three fights), will enjoy at least a six-inch height and four-stone weight advantage over Paul. Bunce didn’t mince words about the disparity: “Jake Paul is a terrific novice. He’s a great novice in a weight division below—cruiserweight—and that’s what he is: a novice. But he’s a novice who conjures up these ridiculous fights.”
Yet, Paul’s team is undeterred. Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP and Paul’s manager, brushed off concerns about the fight’s safety. “I don’t think it’s reckless in any way shape or form,” Bidarian told BBC Sport. “Jake’s in a much better position than a lot of fights which happen in boxing on a regular basis. I think he has a great shot. AJ is big, strong, but slower. He’s more vulnerable to Jake’s movement.”
Paul himself is brimming with confidence, declaring in the official announcement, “This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day. A professional heavyweight fight against an elite (former) world champion. When I beat Anthony Joshua, every doubt disappears, and no one can deny me the opportunity to fight for a world title. To all my haters, this is what you wanted. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry. On Friday, Dec. 19, under the lights in Miami, live globally only on Netflix, the torch gets passed and Britain’s Goliath gets put to sleep.”
Joshua, ever the showman, responded with equal bravado: “Jake or anyone can get this work. No mercy. I took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show. It’s a big opportunity for me. Whether you like it or not, I’m here to do massive numbers, have big fights and break every record whilst keeping cool, calm and collected. Mark my words, you’ll see a lot more fighters take these opportunities in the future. I’m about to break the internet over Jake Paul’s face.”
The path to this matchup was anything but straightforward. Paul was originally scheduled for a 10-round exhibition against lightweight world champion Gervonta Davis on November 14, but the fight was scrapped due to legal issues involving Davis. MVP quickly pivoted, exploring potential opponents ranging from Terence Crawford and Andre Ward to Ryan Garcia, Nate Diaz, and Francis Ngannou. Ultimately, the stars aligned for a clash with Joshua, accelerating plans that were initially rumored for 2026.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn and Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh have ambitious plans for the British heavyweight’s future, including a February 2026 fight in Riyadh and a potential mega-bout against Tyson Fury in London that September. Hearn remarked, “Two of the biggest names in the sport will collide on Dec 19. Whilst I admire Jake’s balls, he’s going to find out the hard way in Miami.” Alalshikh teased, “We have next year two big events here in London. It will be a surprise. We will have Joshua in our country in February, then there is the big fight, one of the greatest fights in the history of boxing. It will be in London maybe in September.”
Comparisons have been drawn to Joshua’s recent demolition of UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, whom he knocked out in the second round in March 2024. Bunce pointed out, “Ngannou was ‘untouchable’ and ‘unbreakable’. He pushed Fury and dropped him and people screamed blue murder saying it was a disgrace that Fury had damaged our sport. What happened, beautifully, a few months later was AJ got in with him [Ngannou], looked him up down, walked out then promptly knocked 10 bells out of him and sparked him out unconscious in the second round.”
Despite the skepticism from some corners of the boxing world—former British middleweight Nick Blackwell called the fight “so dangerous” and noted, “I don’t want anyone to go through what I’ve been through”—the event’s global appeal is undeniable. Bidarian predicted, “From a reach and viewership perspective, it’s absolutely the biggest fight. Just like the biggest fight of Mike Tyson’s career was against Jake Paul. The most people watched Mike Tyson in a fight in his whole career was against Jake Paul.”
With the kickoff news conference set for November 21 at the Kaseya Center, anticipation is building for a contest that promises drama, spectacle, and perhaps a few surprises. Whether it cements a new era for Jake Paul or secures another milestone for Anthony Joshua, all eyes will be on Miami come December 19. One thing’s for sure—boxing fans and casual viewers alike won’t want to miss this one.
